Category Archives: post-doctoral

Please note: I am working to migrate Just a PhD to a new URL, www.FrancesRyanPhD.com. This site will be fully archived by the end of 2018.

I submitted my first post-PhD life job application today, which I am counting as a milestone moment (hence the celebratory bubbles illustrating this post).

The application is for a lecturer post at a Scottish university which would incorporate elements from my PhD experiences with my “past life” as a communications professional. The post is also well suited to my undergraduate and master’s level degrees, which relate directly to my professional career, which helped to inform my PhD research.

It is a strange feeling to be looking forward to the next phase of my academic life, especially when I’m not quite finished with this phase. (I am close though; very close!) Although, I suppose it is fairly standard to start looking for jobs during the last few months of doing a PhD. (Not that I am generally one to do things the “standard” way!)

When I first saw the post advertised, I thought it looked interesting. However, I dismissed it because I’m just not good enough. (Imposter syndrome, you understand.) But then one of my PhD supervisors sent me a link to the post and said that it was right up my alley. So I gave it another thought and decided, yes, I can totally do that job! (Confidence is a wonderful thing.)

However, as I started to pull my application together I began to worry that maybe I wasn’t a good candidate after all. So I threw some talking points together and sent them off to a (non-academic) friend, along with the job specs. He replied back with excitement, declaring that the job was perfect for me and that I should most certainly apply. (He works in career services and hasn’t steered me wrong yet!)

With my confidence growing stronger each day, I sat down and wrote out my supporting statement. Then I went for a run so that I could talk through a potential interview in my head. (I know: I’m crazy.) By the end of my run, I had a better idea of how to finish up my statement and was starting to feel really excited. In fact, I spent an hour or so making edits before I took my post-run shower. (Too much information, I know.)

As today’s deadline fast approached, I sent my CV off to be reviewed by a couple of trusted colleagues and friends. And when I was finally ready to share my supporting statement with my reviewers, I was pleased with the positive feedback I received. (Being told you have a strong application by people you admire and who have proven academic track records is a real boost!)

When I hit the submit button on my application, I felt a wave of satisfaction come over me. I felt very confident and I knew that I submitted something that is worthy of consideration.

Of course, I also felt a bit of doubt because, well, imposter syndrome. Again. You understand.

But the doubt is also relevant as the post is for a permanent lectureship position in an area that is not (quite) the same as my PhD. And I am not (quite) a PhD. (But I am within the timeframe they stated.) And it is not overly common for new PhDs to land a permanent lectureship right out of the gate.

At the very least, I hope that my application gets me an interview. Though as I’ve already started dreaming about a new “I got the job” work bag, I will be a bit crushed if I don’t manage both an interview and a job offer.

But, I am perfect for the job. I really do meet (or exceed) the specifications for the role and I have the passion and commitment to excel in the position. Yes, I am very well qualified for the post and would make a positive contribution to the university.

“They’d be so lucky to have me,” she says, forgetting all about that previously mentioned imposter syndrome.

However, if they do not agree with me, at least I now have a bit of experience in applying for an academic post. And that’s what life is all about: Experiences!

A special shout-out to my colleagues and friends who took the time to review my application materials. When I get the job, I’ll buy the celebratory drinks!

This will be one of many opportunities we have during the week to discuss the great things we are doing here in the CSI. It will also be an opportunity to discuss potential collaborations with academics from other institutions around the world. (Selfishly, I hope that all of these opportunities lead to my finding the perfect post-doctoral research position. So if you’re looking for a quirky American researcher with strong ties to Scotland, look no further!)

Since its establishment by Professor Elisabeth Davenport in the late 1990s researchers within the CSI have developed a distinctive body of work that reflects a shared interest in socio-technical interaction at different levels of organisation, and at different stages in the system life cycle. This work has also considered methods to support research in these areas. The CSI provides critical perspectives on, as well as analysis of, ICT trajectories, socio-technical and organisational issues with a particular focus on:

In attendance at ASIST 2016:

Dr Hazel Hall, Professor and Director of the Centre for Social Informatics
Hazel leads the research in the CSI. Her main research and teaching interests lie in information sharing in online environments. Other themes in which she maintains an active interest include social computing/media, online communities and collaboration, library and information science research, and research impact.
(h.hall@napier.ac.uk | http://hazelhall.org | @hazelh)

Frances Ryan, PhD student
My doctoral investigation explores the role of online information in personal reputation management in the context of everyday life information seeking and human information behaviours and use. I am interested in collaborations on these (and related) interests. I am also keen to discuss opportunities for post-doctoral research projects based on the output of my PhD thesis (to be submitted in early 2017) or similar themes.
(f.ryan@napier.ac.uk | http://www.JustAPhD.com | @cleverfrances)

CSI Research Staff

Peter Cruickshank, Lecturer
Peter’s main area of research is the adoption and use of Internet technologies for participation in democratic processes, particularly at the hyperlocal level. He teaches in the area of information security, with particular interests in the cultural and organisational factors that underpin security. These two areas encompass concepts of identity and information behaviour.
(p.cruickshank@napier.ac.uk | @spartakan)

Dr Tom Kane, Lecturer
Tom’s research interests include telepresence and relationships between natural people and artificial persons (organisations of people), particularly in relation to the newly emerging field of Cognitonics, the science of the human being in the digital world.
(t.kane@napier.ac.uk)

Dr Bruce Ryan, Researcher
Both Bruce’s research and personal interests coalesce around the use of ICT in (hyper)local government with a focus on Scottish Community Councils. Facets of these interests include the actual technologies that are/could/should be used; how elected representatives learn to use technology and process information; the formation of Communities of Practice around such matters; and the means by which hyperlocal governments develop and learn in general.
(b.ryan@napier.ac.uk | http://community-knect.ne | @myceliumme_CC)

Dr Colin Smith, Senior Lecturer
Colin’s research examines the relationships between new information and communication technologies, strategic innovation and organisational change, particularly in the contexts of e-government and e-democracy. His core interests include: the evaluation of the contribution of the Internet to the role played by political parties in contemporary democratic practices; the assessment of digital delivery platforms for public services; and the exploration of the implications of new web-based technologies for parliamentarians.
(cf.smith@napier.ac.uk)

Dr Ella Taylor-Smith, Researcher/Lecturer
Ella’s current research focus is student transitions into, and through, university and on to employment. Previously she explored the use of online and offline spaces in democracy. Her interests include: social informatics, social media, eParticipation, identity, and transitions.
(e.taylor-smith@napier.ac.uk | @EllaTasm)

Dr Gemma Webster, Lecturer
Gemma’s principle research interests lie in the field of human computer interaction, health care, older adults, community and assistive technologies. She is an experienced multidisciplinary researcher and keen to expand work that involves ‘real-world’ environments, problems, and partners.
(g.webster@napier.ac.uk)

CSI Research Students

Leo Appleton, PhD student
Leo’s main research interests are based around the value and impact of libraries. His PhD specifically investigates the value and impact of UK public libraries in the Information Society, and their role in citizenship development. In addition he is interested in the role that public libraries play in the generation and exchange of intellectual, social, and transactional capital.
(l.appleton@napier.ac.uk | @leoappleton)

Lyndsey Jenkins, PhD student
Lyndsey is interested in workplace learning development, innovation in the workplace, innovative work behaviours, information behaviours and seeking in relation to both learning in the workplace and general learning, career decision making, and associated influences (personal, context and environment). The primary focus of her PhD is workplace learning and innovation.
(l.jenkins@napier.ac.uk | https://lyndseyjenkins.org | @LJenk2015)

Lynn Killick, PhD student
The focus of Lynn’s PhD research is the future of the population census, and its role in informing the good society. This work has been undertaken as part of a wider project that examined information and its role in society as part of the AHRC-funded Informing the Good Society (InGSoc) project.
(l.killick@napier.ac.uk)

Alicja Pawluczuk, Research student
Alicja is passionate about participatory digital storytelling and community development. Her PhD research focuses on digital youth, informal education and social impact evaluation in Scotland.
(a.pawluczuk@napier.ac.uk | http://www.phdadventures.com | @alicjapawluczuk)

Todd Richter, Research student
Todd’s research identifies and articulates the impact on young people of exploratory making with technology in hands-on, informal, and experimental learning environments such as Makerspaces and FabLabs.
(t.richter@napier.ac.uk | @todderichter)